From November 21 to 24, 2023, the tripartite consortium consisting of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will be holding the Fifth Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) in the context of the Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation, which is the AU theme of the year.
The adoption as theme of the year is expected to generate greater political commitment and accelerate the effective implementation of the AfCFTA to fully benefit the African citizenry and achieve the aspirations and goals of Agenda 2063. The yearlong activities will enhance the existing collaboration among the Member States, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), AU institutions, the private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders, to mobilize and implement actions that boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all sectors of Africa’s economy. Land is one of the key resources and enablers in the implementation of the AfCFTA and produces a significant percentage of the agricultural commodities that are envisioned to be traded. It is also a source of Africa’s mineral wealth and other commodities. In addition, manufacturing processes take place on land. The creation of a single market under the AfCFTA provides opportunities for both economic growth and the creation of new as well as innovative networks for those operating in sectors such as mining, manufacturing, services, agriculture and agro-processing. The issue of inclusive land governance therefore becomes critical for the achievement of the AfCTA objectives.